Artist to demonstrate watercolors at Cambria Historical Museum

The Cambria Historical Society will host watercolorist Jim Karjala at work on his craft Saturday, May 23, in the Heirloom Gardens of the Historical Museum. 

Between 1 and 4  p.m. Karjala will demonstrate and display his paintings, and sell and autograph pieces, a portion of whose sales will benefit the museum. Karjala and his wife, Marty, are teachers retired from the Central Valley, who realized their dream to relocate to Cambria. He is self-taught through four years of YouTube lessons, DVDs and studying many books. 

In his words, “Watercolor has an attitude and a mind of its own which I love and appreciate, but, alas, often with one stroke too many, I hear a ‘nice try’ resonating in the background. 

“On the other hand, some of the breathtaking results of happy accidents that occasionally happen are the sirens’ songs for aspiring artists, and I do sometimes hear those, too. It’s just enough to keep me happily stroking and endeavoring to get better.” 

On the same afternoon from 1 to 3, 18-year-old Natalie McDonald will perform in the parlor on the antique 1886 square piano, garbed in period costume. 

The student of Nir Eitan at Musical Beginnings in Los Angeles will include Debussy’s Clair de Lune and a repertoire of tunes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She began studying the piano at ate 6, and feels that “a row of black and white ivory becomes a horizon of possibilities that can transport me to any place, any time, any feeling.”

“The piano is more than a chunk of wood, metal and varnish as my fingers run up and down the keyboard, stumbling here, tripping there, and finally gaining their footing for a chord. The piano and I are joined in the art of creating music; together we can touch souls and stir emotions.”

Both artists have been attracted to one mission of the Cambria Historical Society: to serve as the centerpiece of the historical east village, and they will add other appearances at the museum through June. 

There is no charge for admission, but donations are gratefully received. 

The museum is at Burton Drive and Center Street. Details: event chairman Penny Church, 927-1442.

This story was originally published May 20, 2015 at 10:07 AM with the headline "Artist to demonstrate watercolors at Cambria Historical Museum."